Top Reasons to Visit During The Costa Rica Green Season
Travel to Costa Rica in Green Season, and you’ll be privy to an extraordinary transformation. As the country is drenched in nourishing rain, the wilderness and wildlife burst to life like nothing else. Trade in overwhelming tourist crowds, peak prices, and chaos for a few refreshing downpours and more affordable luxury? What’s not to love about that?!
It’s not often you get to experience a country being transformed. Head to Costa Rica in Green Season, and that’s precisely what you’ll witness. As rains increase throughout the country, tourist groups dissipate, national parks become blissfully uncrowded, and prices for everything – from flights to luxury accommodation and private excursions – take a downward turn. The stellar savings means your holiday can last longer. It also means you can easily upgrade your luxury travel and boost comfort and indulgence.
Yet fewer tourists and lower prices aren’t the only reasons to visit Costa Rica outside peak season. This is an extraordinary time to soak up the country’s magic; the benefits go above and beyond the considerable savings.
But first, for the uninitiated, a little rundown about this charmed time of year.
What is Green Season in Costa Rica?
Green Season is the term used to describe the rainiest months in Costa Rica – a period that runs from May to November. Why is it called ‘green’ and not ‘rainy,’ you ask? Well, for two specific reasons.
First, calling it rainy may be misleading. Costa Rica is a tropical country, and rains are to be expected at any time of year. It rains a lot in the tropics; that’s what makes them so lush and green! Sure, rains are more pronounced and frequent between May and November, but they also occur in December and January – the so-called dry season.
Second, ‘green’ is a much more apt moniker for what happens to Costa Rica as the rains settle in. The country’s pristine wilderness takes a collective sigh as the parched lands transform into a verifiable verdant paradise. The country’s wildlife rejoices and becomes much more active due to the cooler temperatures.
Costa Rica in Green season is an incredible spectacle to witness, and to many – like us here at The Point Luxury Villa – it is reason alone to visit.
What is the Rainy Season like in Guanacaste?
Many potential guests often ask us what the rainy season is like in Guanacaste – given that Green Season affects Costa Rica’s regions differently. In our delightful neck of the wilderness, rains offer a respite from the scorching temperatures of the dry season. It’s a much more pleasant time for outdoor activities as rivers and waterfalls surge with new life, serving up breathtaking spectacles and opportunities for water-based adventures.
While rainfall increases as the season progresses, it usually comes in short and intense bursts, often in late afternoons or evenings.
You may have heard that heavy rains can cause travel disruptions and road closures in Costa Rica, yet this is usually reserved for more remote and isolated regions. In our area of Guanacaste, the country’s most developed stretch of coast, the only thing rains do is keep big tour groups away. Those lucky enough to travel at this time have the enviable chance to explore Guanacaste’s attractions with more tranquility and enjoy a closer connection to nature in peace.
Here are 10 fabulous reasons to visit Costa Rica in Green Season:
1. More Affordable Flights
For North Americans, Costa Rica has always been a pocket-friendly destination, although flight prices have increased dramatically in the last few years. Nevertheless, you can save about 30% on flight tickets if you travel in the Green Season instead of the peak tourist season (December and January). For a family of four or extended family/ friends group of 12, that’s quite a considerable saving.
2. There’s no need to book everything way in advance
The dramatic drop in crowds means availability is greater all-around – accommodation, transfers, and private guided tours don’t need to be booked weeks or months in advance.
Still, if you have your heart set on a particular accommodation (like The Point Luxury Villa), you wouldn’t want to leave it to the last minute to make your booking. The best luxury rental villas in Costa Rica are highly coveted all year round.
3. Use your savings to stay longer or upgrade your accommodation
Perhaps you hadn’t considered renting a luxury villa on your upcoming holiday in Costa Rica. Yet with all the savings you’re bound to enjoy, and given all the fantastic extra services and amenities included, this luxurious and indulgent option becomes much more affordable.
Green Season is an excellent time to maximize your vacation spending in Costa Rica.
4. Rains Aren’t Such a Big Deal!
You’d be hard-pressed to meet anyone who’s ever been to Costa Rica and not experienced rain on some days, no matter the time of year they visited. Yet the fab aspect of Green Season is that rains are pretty predictable. Usually, they roll in after lunch for a couple of hours, leaving you with often-clear skies in the mornings and evenings.
the infinity pool? Green Season afternoons are perfect for that!
5. Embrace the Refreshing Coolness
Ticos endearingly call the rain season their ‘winter,’ and while it might not compare to the traditional notion of winter for North Americans, it does bring some respite from the heat. Active travelers and those who prefer milder temperatures will revel in the rainy season months, where average temperatures dip below the yearly average of 90°F (32°C).
If you tend to avoid scorching destinations due to sensitive skin, the rainy season might be your ideal time to enjoy a Costa Rican luxury vacation.
6. Your Personal Hideaway
Costa Rica is an undeniable magnet for travelers, and during high tourist season, the popular spots can get quite crowded. But here’s a secret: visiting during the Green Season grants you the privilege of sharing those awe-inspiring places with fewer people. Smaller crowds mean more intimate encounters with the country’s natural wonders. So, if you’re yearning for a serene experience in famed locales like Manuel Antonio and Arenal, the rainy season is your golden ticket.
7. Enjoy Freedom of Flexibility
Flexibility and spontaneity are vital when visiting Costa Rica during the rainiest months. While some travelers prefer firm plans and structure, the rainy season invites you to go with the flow. Embrace the charm of changing plans at the last minute, swapping one activity for another when an unexpected downpour rolls in. After all, isn’t travel all about breaking free from the mundane routines of everyday life?
At The Point Villa, your private concierge, excursion guide, catamaran pilot, and crew are ready to make (and change) plans at a moment’s notice. And that’s the kind of priceless luxury everyone dreams about.
8. It’s a Magical Season for Turtles
Aside from us, guess who else loves Costa Rica when it rains? Turtles! The awe-inspiring phenomenon of synchronized turtle nesting events, known as “arribadas,” occurs on Ostional Beach, 38 miles south of The Point Villa. Throughout the Green Season, hundreds of thousands of Olive Ridley turtles head to the beach to nest their young. The spectacle is jaw-dropping, often described as one of the most extraordinary wildlife events on earth.
9. Celebrate Halloween…with a Twist!
Although not a traditional Costa Rican festivity, Halloween has infected the country over the last few decades. Except, naturally, Ticos tend to put their own spin on the popular party.
Rather than be all about kids, candy, and trick-or-treating, Halloween in Costa Rica (or Day of the Witches – El Dia de Las Brujas – as it’s locally known) is all about dressing up in crazy costumes and enjoying a night of revelry in town. In Tamarindo, the party starts after dinner, so enjoy an exquisite shin-ding prepared by your private chef at The Point Villa and head to the town center, where you’ll find live music, loads of dancing, and flowing cocktails in every bar and restaurant.
10. Green Season is Surfing Nirvana on the Pacific Coast
For all you passionate and seasoned surfers, a well-kept secret awaits during the wettest months of September and October – the Pacific Coast becomes an unrivaled surfing haven. Brace yourself for the perfect convergence of swells, tides, and waves, that create an absolute surfer’s paradise along the coastline.
Costa Rica’s Green Season offers exceptional delights for intrepid travelers. From unbeatable savings to the splendor of rain-refreshed forests and a chance to witness breathtaking turtle arribadas, this enchanting season beckons you to embark on an unforgettable journey.
Are you looking to sprinkle some magic on your next visit to Costa Rica?
Then time you get acquainted with The Point Villa Experience.
Contact our concierge today to book your exquisite Green Season luxury vacation in Costa Rica with us at The Point Luxury Villa. It’s the perfect hideaway during this most charming time of year!
